Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on LEADER programme funding, considering the European Commission's recent statement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28016/22]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister provide us with an update on the LEADER programme and the funding for it, particularly considering the statement made recently by the European Commission? It was an annexe to a response to our CAP proposals and it included information on LEADER.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

The LEADER programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government's policy for rural development launched last year, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy.

Some €250 million has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This comprises €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to 2022 and an additional €180 million from 2023 to 2027. This level of funding is evidence of the Government's continued support for the LEADER programme.

My officials are engaging with colleagues from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the European Commission on the design of the next LEADER programme from 2023 and on the points raised by the European Commission in its observation letter on Ireland's CAP strategic plan.

Any discussion on rural development investment must also take account of the record levels of investment in recent years. A range of schemes, funded outside of the CAP, have been implemented in recent years, such as the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, the walks scheme and the outdoor recreation scheme, all of which contribute to enhancing our rural areas.

The national development plan, NDP, also outlines a clear commitment to a continuation of investment in rural Ireland, with capital funding allocations for my Department increasing from €88 million in 2018 to €205 million in 2025.

I am confident that this level of funding, through the range of schemes, including LEADER, will continue to support and to further develop our rural areas.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I understand that the CAP period of 2023 to 2027 is not fully determined yet and that work is under way on the design of LEADER for that period.

Will the Minister indicate the timeline for the completion of the design and when LEADER will know exactly what is happening from 2023 onwards? The EU, through the European Commission's statement, said with regard to the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, general objective of strengthening the socioeconomic fabric of rural areas, Ireland is invited to reflect on whether the budgetary resources and the instrument proposed are in line with the high number of needs identified. It also refers to different regions in Ireland. This brings us back to the north west and the west, which is the only region in the country that is no longer considered to be developed. It is a region in transition. It is regressing and it is in need of major investment to bring it back up to a developed region. That is urgent. When will the funding for the period from 2023 to 2027 be in place?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The indicative budget of €180 million has been announced for the LEADER programme for the period 2023 to 2027. When taken together with the €70 million for 2021 and 2022 under the transition LEADER programme, a total of €250 million will be made available for the 2021 to 2027 period, thus maintaining the level of funding provided in the period 2014 to 2020.

Approximately €139 million has been paid to beneficiaries in respect of completed works, with 3,250 projects receiving their final payment claim, representing 62% of all projects approved. Preparations for the design and delivery of the next LEADER programme from 2023 to 2027 are well under way. There is ongoing engagement between my officials, colleagues from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the EU Commission with a view to obtaining approval for the CAP strategic plan as a matter of priority. I cannot give the Deputy a specific date, but I can assure her a lot of work is going on to make sure the plan is approved as quickly as possible.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister will also know the interim funding that is in place now was a matter of concern for the Irish Local Development Network, ILDN. A number of LEADER projects throughout the State felt the funding was inadequate for the period. She will also know the ILDN is not satisfied with the €180 million for the four-year period. Issues have been raised in regard to that. Now that the European Commission is questioning the approach, given the high level of need identified, Ireland is being asked to reflect on whether the proposed budgetary resources are in line with the need. That is something that will have to be looked at and addressed, because if the ILDN is saying the funding is inadequate, then it must be examined. The interim funding for many LEADER projects has already been allocated and spent and there are still a number of months to go in 2022. They feel the funding should have been increased. The regions must be looked at as well in light of any funding that will come through Pillar 2.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Commission is talking specifically about CAP. We have all the other schemes the Government is putting money into to support rural Ireland, which is what the Commission wants to see also. It wants to see the governments are putting investment in.

We have the rural regeneration and development fund, from which the sum of €347 million has been allocated to 164 projects since 2018. The town and village renewal scheme has been allocated €93 million since 2016. The outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme has been allocated €87 million since 2016, with more than 1,200 projects supported. Almost 1,800 projects have been supported by CLÁR with €45 million. More than 12,000 projects have been supported under the community enhancement programme since 2018.

Nobody has run out of money yet. I have seen this a few times in the past. People get very nervous when it comes to the end of a programme. I put transition funds in place this time in order that staff could be retained and projects could continue to be funded. Some LEADER companies are doing very well in terms of their spend and others are not doing as well. I have never been found wanting when it comes to funding for LEADER.